Cruel Intentions
by ThingsSaidInTheDark
Summary: George Weasley has been chasing Cass for over a year, until at his friends' insistence, he finally decides to admit it to her. Too bad Cass doesn't always have the best intentions. Disclaimer: Anything you recognize in this story doesn't not belong to me.
1. Chapter 1

~Second Year~

Cassandra Stirr was pissed. There were no better words to describe that state of utmost loathing. Her fists were clenched and her teeth and throat were sore from an unattended urge to scream. Her supplies were pushed away to the other side of her desk in a desperate attempt to save them from the destruction which usually resulted from Cass' temper. Her eyes threatened tears; something that only occurred at the peak of anger.

Her anger was not all a result of her frustration. It also came from her sister, Viv. Her sister was adept at surrounding herself with bitterness, that, no matter how much she loved her, Cass could not stand. This morning, at breakfast, they had had a fight about whether you were supposed to put ketchup on home fries. It might seem stupid, and Cass would admit that it was, but something about her sisters tone never refrained from putting Cass in a mood. Starting the year with double potions did not help much either. There was just something about the class which she could not stand.

Most likely it was Professor Snape, who pranced around the classroom as though he had something rather large stuck up through his arse all the way to his abnormally large nose, which was pointed so directly at the ceiling that Cass had to wonder how he could see. Though there was no question that he could, for he seemed to spot trouble from a kilometre away, unless of course it was caused by a Slytherine. Or perhaps the Weasley twins who never seemed to get caught at anything.

Though she supposed that the reason she hated the class so much could have been the fact that she was downright rubbish at the subject in general. Potions was one of those subjects which had nothing to do with logic and skill, but depended on memorization and the amount of time the student spent studying. Cass was often described by teachers and peers as "the laziest person in the history of the planet" this was a trait which was definitely not going to get her any "outstanding"'s on her potions essays, Professor Snape was also the type of professor who wouldn't put up with all of the silly excuses she concocted.

Her partner and best friend, was Stacy Hokkins; as notorious an underachiever, and the type of person who didnt do homework just to prove a point. Cass always felt like a bookworm while sitting in class with Stacy, who was always talking, and never gave Cass a second to concentrate. Cass liked to get as much work done in class as possible to make up for her inability to study.

Their third partner, Alicia seemed to be the only student in class who hadn't given up on their assignment as soon as they had seen it. She was currently chopping ingredients so fast that the table vibrated and the juices being excreted through her cuts flowed to the floor in thin, constant streams. The bright pink knife, which she had taken wihtout question from Cass' desk , was bobbing up and down so fast it blurred, and the tips of her burrowed bright green gloves fluttered comically around the handle. (Cass also had a reputation for her brightly coloured school supplies which gave most people headaches if they looked too long.)

Alicia hadn't said anything about Cass' lack of work. The potion, which was now the exact dusky watery substance as described after step five on the blackboard, was probably better off without her help, so Cass just sat there in all her uselessness, trying not to be overcome by her two most urgent desires. The first was to cry, and the second to get up and punch Professor Snape in the overlarge beak.

She stared ahead with no specific focus other than her inner ramblings. Yes, Cass could be a huge drama queen.

Cass was just wondering whether the school would let her drop the class if she got straight T's when she realized she was being watched.

"Miss Stirr," She jumped at her professors' voice.

"Sir?"

"I don't recall instructing you to sit around and do nothing, please tell me if my memory has betrayed me."

"No, sir."

"That will be another ten points from Gryffindor… and I'll take another ten points from Miss Spinnet, I do not tolerate your partner's laziness and neither should you."

Alicia looked betrayed as she was generally the one who gained the house points by answering all the questions and staying exactly on task. Alicia was not at all used to being told off. Stacy just sat and waited for her scolding, which Professor Snape was in no way reluctant to give.

Cass scrambled to pick up a knife. "What line are we on?" she whispered, scared to get caught talking during class.

Alicia displayed the same fear by merely pointing at one of the lines written across the blackboard in Snape's usual illegible wand writing, and letting Cass and Stacy figure out what had and hadn't been done.

This turned out to be a mistake, as Cass started chopping ingredients which had already been added to the potion. They were supposed to be mixing a Shrinking Solution which was a potion which could not be found in their textbooks, and one which Cass was sure must be more advanced than anything that the second years ought to have been learning. Though she reckoned she should have expected it. It was the first class of the year after all, and Professor Snape liked to panic his students before he could get around to teaching them anything.

Cass was now working with such concentration that she forgot to look at the clock every two minutes, so it wasn't until the second to last line of the potion that she remembered it was a double period and realized that she, Alicia, and Stacey would have extra time to wait after they finished their potion.

It happened during the last 5 minutes of class. Stacy and Cass had completely given up on their mess of a potion and were both sitting the edges of their seats waiting for Professor Snape to instruct everyone to give him a sample of the potions in front of them. They were not the only group to do so.

To their right, a trio of Ravenclaws which they had not been in class with long enough to recognize sat in similar positions but with sleeved arms covering their mouths and noses, trying not to breath in the blackish haze rising from their cauldron.

To their left, the Weasley twins had teamed up their friend Lee. Yet they didn't seem to have gotten any further than the first three lines on the recipe weren't even trying to look as though they were doing something productive. They were crouched low over their cauldron whispering to each other, occasionally pointing behind them and to the front of the classroom in the general direction of the Professor Snape's office. Whatever they were planning, Cass hoped bitterly that it would cause her professor pain, or at least some extreme humiliation.

Professor Snape walked to the far front of the room so that he was standing behind his desk in the front of the classroom. Almost everyone was turned to him with expectant expressions on their faces. All except for one of the Weasley twins who was bent over off his stool, pulling something out of his bag.

It happened in a flash. One moment Cass was turning away and looking back into her cauldron at her, Alicia and Stacy's pathetic excuse for a potion, which was now a dull brown instead of the bright green colour it was supposed to take, and the next she wasn't looking anywhere. The world went a brownish kind of orange and her head started pounding as though someone were trying to take out her eyes with a pair of plungers. She screamed in the kind of shock which made her wonder if she had made any noise at all.

"Cass!" asked Stacy from beside her.

Cass tried to answer but the fearful lump in her throat made it impossible. Why couldn't she see? Would she ever be able to again?

"Cass?" asked a voice on the other side of her. This one belonged to a boy. "Cass, I'm so sorry," his voice was an urgent whisper, and she could feel his breath against her ear. "I didn't mean for it to land in your-"

Cass didn't know where whatever had landed, for his voice was suddenly blurred out by sixteen more. The whole class was suddenly muttering and yelling. Then there was silence. For a second, Cass wondered whether she had suddenly lost her hearing as well, but was reassured by the constant bwub-bwub of their cauldron still bubbling like it had been for the past twelve minutes. The silhouettes of multiple people were fading in and out of existence, and the details were being blotted and unblotted out by the fuzzy black dots on the surface of her eyes.

She tried shaking her head, to clear whatever it was obstructing her view. Her arms were suddenly cold. She tried breathing harder, maybe she wasn't getting enough oxygen, but that didn't help in the slightest.

Then she heard footsteps. The steal toed shoes of Professor Snape clinked over to her desk, and Cass could have sworn she could hear the boy behind hers heartbeat.

"Mr. Weasley," She could hear the sneer in his voice. "Return to your seat."

Cass heard more footsteps, this time more muffled, scuttling off in the opposite direction.

"I promise to all of you that the owner of this, will be punished."

Cass didn't know what he was talking about, and bent down to rest her head on her cutting board, hoping it would prevent her from passing out, if that was what was about to happen.

"Sir-" Stacy's voice could be heard to her right.

"As for Miss Stirr, Miss Hokkis can escort her to the hospital wing. Let me use this as an example of what happens when you double the suggested amount of gurdy roots and liver."

That's when Cass lost focus. Before she had been trying to tell what was going on, but now she was too concerned about her anger towards Professor Snape. She felt a pressure on her arm. And let it drag her to the side. She must have left the classroom at some point. She also must have walked up some stairs, for the next thing she felt was a cup against her mouth, and something rather squishy to supporting her tense backside.

The first thing she heard was yelling. The first thing she saw was Stacey. Well….the back of Stacey.

"I KNOW IT WAS YOU WHO DID THIS, AND I DON'T CARE IF YOU CAME TO APOLOGISE, YOU AND YOUR STUPID BROTHER! YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY?"

"I'm sorry!" came the same exasperated voice she had heard in Professor Snape's classroom. "I didn't mean for it to land in your cauldron."

Cass, realizing she was lying on the same rather bouncy bed in the hospital wing she had spent a week in after her first flying lesson, shifted her weight to her elbows so that she could see over Stacey's waving arms.

"I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU MEANT TO DO, YOU TWO ARE THE MOST INSUFFERABLE GITS I HAVE EVER KNOWN! DROPPING DUNGBOMBS? THAT'S NOT EVEN ORIGINAL!"

As if on cue, a carbon copy of the redhead whom her best friend was screaming at entered the room. "Not original, huh? You think you can do better?"

"Yes!" It reminded Cass of her old nemesis from muggle-school whenever she said "duh".

"We'll see. Come on George." The second redhead dragged his brother out of the room.

Cass couldn't help but wonder what exactly had happened to make Stacey so mad. She didn't end up with some kind of creepy tentacles or irreversible plague-like acne, did she? "Stacey?"

She twisted around to look at Cass.

"You know I'm fine, right?"

"Yes," she sighed, "But someone needs to say it to those two, and I'm glad it was me."

With that, Stacey turned around, and padded over to Madame Pomfrey's office. Madame Pomfrey had thankfully either not heard the argument between Stacey and the twins or had decided to ignore it, because when she came out of her office to give Cass a final check-up she didn't even mention it. She just went on muttering about careless teachers expecting her to be able to fix anything.

It wasn't until they were outside the hospital wing and heading back to the Gryffindor common room that Cass was able to voice the fear she'd been thinking about since the twins had left.

"You know, I think they took what you said as a challenge."

"Well I wasn't lying when I said I could do better."


	2. Chapter 2

~Second Year~

A week after the potions incident, Cass had completely resumed her usual schedule. She had gotten back to the common room to realize that she had missed a whole day of classes. Since it was the first day, the teachers seemed to have no pity and did not waste any time giving her mountains of makeup work; many of the teachers at Hogwarts liked to follow Professor Snape's example and overwork their students on the first day of classes. This was the main grip which pulled her back into the haze of school and work. By the end of the week she couldn't have said what day the potions incident had happened. It was on the second week of that year in which she was reminded.

It all started with her alarm. Each year, the NEWT Charms class would enchant different objects to work as Hogwarts alarm clocks. Cass' dorm had been assigned a rather obnoxious clock which woke them every morning with the screaming words of "get out of bed before I crucio your arse" followed by a colourful string of vocabulary which Professor McGonagall would have a heart attack upon hearing.

This morning, Cass thought absolutely nothing of her alarm, and just accepted it as something that would happen every day with or without acknowledgement. Her main concern that tired morning was the unwanted gap in her bed hangings which was letting in obnoxious rays of light and giving her a migraine. "Sod off" she groaned without effect. If anything, the sun seemed to glow brighter than before. Or maybe that was just because she was now staring directly at it. She groaned and turned over, curling her back and digging her face into the overstuffed pillow she cuddled with as she slept.

But now that the sunlight was not an issue, the alarm suddenly was. The steadfast screaming continued, getting louder every second. "Stacey" she whispered urgently. Yelling would probably have been more effective, but on some level, Cass was worried about waking herself up, which would diminish her excuse not to just get up and shower first.

"Cass, you're closer." It was Katie who spoke.

"But Stacey always goes first."

"No, I don't, now go away and let me sleep."

"But-"but speaking had woken Cass up and she no longer had a reason to make her friends get up first. "Fine, but you guys won't have any hot water." She slid off her bed and strutted across the room indignantly... well, as indignantly as possible while she was wearing nothing but her knickers and it was freezing cold.

On her way, she checked Angelina's bed. It was empty as she had expected. She'd probably woken up early to practice before Quittich tryouts. Angelina was obsessed. She was determined to get onto the Gryffindor team, whatever it took. Last year she had even convinced Cass to sneak out to the schools broom shed and steal a couple of brooms to practice with. Cass still regretted this venture, as she still had the scars from falling off and unfortunately landing on a particularly violent tree. Cass hadn't mounted a broom since. Neither had she gone within twenty meters of that tree.

The bathroom connected to their dormitory was decent (especially compared to the ones of certain muggle boarding schools she had visited before she knew she was going to Hogwarts). It contained two sinks, and separate stalls for a shower and a toilet. Everything was perfectly scrubbed thanks to the Hogwarts house elves. The tiles were red, though some held designs of golden lions shaking their manes and baring their teeth. Cass followed the tradition of swiping her finger over a particularly faded lion for luck. She wasn't sure exactly what it was supposed to do, but the prefect their first day had shown them to do it and everyone in their Dormitory had followed this tradition since their first morning at Hogwarts. _Don't let me slip and kill myself in the shower, _she requested of the lion internally. She half-laughed at herself, though still held some seriousness, as she was a known klutz and wouldn't put it past herself to fall in the shower and land herself in the hospital wing for a month. Cass could imagine Professor Mcgonigal announcing at the beginning of class that all students should be cautious while washing themselves. And worse yet their reaction as everyone realized "so _that's_ why she's in the hospital wing." She could picture herself waking up next to half a toilet seat courtesy of the Weasley twins.

It was because of this that she stepped into the shower stall with extra precaution. She threw her knickers and bra into the basket at the corner of the stall, which promptly disappeared. Cass knew it was going to the laundry, though where the laundry was she had no idea. She turned back to the nozzle, and turned on the water. Then, in a flash, she pulled up the lever which redirected the water to the showerhead and jumped out of the way of its spray, letting it warm up a little before she dared getting wet.

When she got under the shower, she turned the knob until it was almost on full heat. Normally she would have gone with a bit less of a skin burning temperature, but she was insistent on keeping her word to the others, as she had promised them she would use up all the hot water. She stood there for a good ten minutes under she showerhead, doing nothing in particular; still half asleep, before she even acknowledged the row of soaps and shampoos lined up on the ledge to the right of the shower stall. She haphazardly coated her body in her special body wash which was supposed to make your skin extra soft, and by the time she had moved onto her hair, her whole body was the pink it became whenever she was particularly hot. When she rinsed her hair, the redness seemed to overcome her. The combination of the tiles, her skin and the copious layers of steam gave the impression that even the soapy water streaming down her body had turned pink.

The water still burned her skin as the last remnants of shampoo were rinsed from her hair. It was then that she made her second mistake. The mistake of extending her shower even longer to try and waste the last of the hot water by doing the only reasonable thing she could think of. So she scrubbed down the rest of her body with the shampoo too.

It wasn't until she had scrubbed down her whole body that she began to question if Hogwarts showers ever ran out of hot water. She had never experienced it before, and the more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed that the house elves had casted charms to make sure that the warmth was never all the way used up. It was this which convinced her to give up and to bring her shower to an end.

Cass grabbed a towel from the hook on the stall door, quickly rubbing herself down, starting with her feet, then her legs, and all the way up to her dark shoulder length hair which she bunched up inside the towel and shook, just like her parents used to do when she was little at the beach. The mirror was so steamed up after she'd left the shower that when she looked at herself all she could see was a bright pink blob. The pink colour of it was a bit unnatural, though, and she made a mental note not to take many more boiling showers. She ignored her reflection and started lathering vanilla flavoured lotion over her legs and arms, wasting time in hope that the condensation would clear by the time she was done.

It didn't. Meaning it wasn't until she rubbed a patch or the mirror clear that she saw it. "It" being the prank. "The prank" being set by the Weasley twins. This "prank" being a disaster.


	3. Chapter 3

"The prank" being the bright florescent strands of hair falling around her face.

She rubbed her eyes, wondering if this was a side effect of having gone blind the other day. But it wasn't. It was a side effect of the tampered with shampoo she had rubbed all over her body. She checked the other hair on her body, and realized with somewhat delayed shock that they too had been dyed a bright pink. Including her eyelashes which reminded her bizarrely of a muggle fashion magazine.

Her towel lay at her feet where it had fallen without her caring enough to pick it up; she kicked it away as she made back towards the shower stall where the shampoo was kept. She unscrewed the nozzle, and poured a thin stream into the drain. Yep. This was the cause, how could she not have noticed that? She promptly poured the rest of the shampoo into the drain, and threw the container into the trash can under the sinks. Then she went back to her spot by the mirror, picking up her towel as she went, and wiping off the rest of the mirror, then wrapping it around herself and tucking in the ends so it wouldn't fall. Then she studied her face. She did this for a long time, picking up her hair and pulling it in different directions. It was such a delayed reaction that at some point she debated whether or not she should scream. Though she reckoned she would come off as a bit drama queen if she did, and decided against it.

Maybe if she just went about normally, no one would notice. But did she want that? She studied her face in the mirror once more. To be honest, she _liked _it. It looked spastic... hot even. The only thing she would have to fix was the eyelashes. And her lips which looked abnormally dry next to such a bright colour. Her mother had never let her dye her hair before. Isn't this the colour she had always wanted it?

It was that stroke of daring which reassured her she was a real Gryffindor. She knew some would laugh, but hadn't she promised herself she would use it? Hadn't she said as she taken it from her cousin and stuffed it in her bag vowing that she wouldn't care what people thought, and that she looked hot in it? "It" happened to be a tube of pink lipstick. Though not as bright as her hair, she thought they complimented each other quite well as she lathered her lips with it.

Next went the eyelashes. They would _have_ to go. So she went to the back of the room to where the other girls kept their makeup. Cass had never really worn any, though she had played with her sisters numerous times. She emptied most of the cabinet before she found what she was looking for. Stacey's mascara.

She left the bathroom wrapped in a towel and a new kind of confidence.

"Don't use the shampoo." She said unemotionally to the other girls in her dormitory, both of whom seemed to have been waiting for her to get out of the shower.

"WHA-" Stacey stopped herself before she had said the whole word.

"Umm...Cass?" said Alicia in a strange voice which was either fear of confusion; most likely the latter.

"I think the Weasley twins finally tried to get you back, Stacey." Her voice cracked, though not in the freak-out her roommates had expected, but with laughter. "It's too bad, really. I thought they'd do something horrible, but I rather like it."

Neither of her roommates said anything, which brought up the fear that neither of them liked it. "Umm..." started Cass, "I'm just gunna go to breakfast, meet me down there?"

"In a minute" said Alicia, still in shock.

Cass walked down to breakfast with her shoulders rolled back, and her hips swaying with each step. She turned heads as she walked down the Great Hall, and sat down in her usual seat which was by chance only two seats away from the section of seats normally taken by the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan. She glanced at them meaningfully as she approached, a smile fluttering around the corners of her painted lips.

It was the one on the right who spotted her first. Well... more gawked than spotted, for his eyes followed her for at least ten steps before he closed his mouth and nudged his brother in the ribs. "Ow!" squelched his brother indignantly through a mouthful of food. But this reaction came before he recognized what his brother was pointing to. When he did he stared too. Soon enough Angelina (who looked quite windswept) and Lee were both staring at her as well, along with most of the Great Hall.

"Thanks for the makeover," she waved to them as she passed, then walked away, purposely swaying her hips as she had seen the confident girls on TV do in the muggle world. Then she reached her usual seat across from Angelina, plopped down onto it, and started loading her plate with everything she could see.

To her amazement, Angelina seemed to like her new look, though Cass figured it was probably just because Angelina had a kind of funky taste too. Though she was reassured as the other two dorm-mates sat down around her, and launched themselves into a story about how so-and-so said that she looked bad, but they were the freak, because in their opinion Cass looked hot (with a "w" and two "t"'s as Alicia had loudly remarked through a mouthful of bacon).

It was really a pity that breakfast wasn't the end of the day. And even more unfortunate that so-and-so whom Alicia and Stacey had told her about was not the only person to have a negative opinion about Cass's new style. Most of the girls in her year seemed to regard her hair as obnoxious, and her lipstick as whorish, or as Mayvela Chang had put it "the type of lipstick you'd expect to be found around the base of a penis".

Potions class had subjected her to way too many Slytherine sneers for her liking, all of which Professor Snape seemed to have grown not-so-mysteriously deaf to. Though every time an overly loud whisper was issued, Stacey would reassure her that they were just being mean, because it was in the job description of staying a Slytherine, Cass still ended the class with most of her lipstick smudged off her face and onto her once white sleeves, with her hair pulled into a ponytail which she claimed to Stacey was just to keep it out of her face so she could concentrate, but Stacey didn't buy it. She knew that the remarks were getting to her friend. And that Cass had never concentrated in potions a day in her life.

"Cass," she began "You know they're just trying to mess with you, right?"

"I know," Cass said in a snappish tone which made her sound much too similar to her sister, Viv.

By the end of Potions, Cass was ready to behead the next person who commented on the hair. Even if that person happened to be Stacey, who never stopped trying to reassure her no matter how bitchy the replies. Perhaps it was lucky then that Stacey had run off to the toilets the second Cass sat down for charms.

Lucky for Stacey, though not exactly for the Weasley twins who sat down on either side of her in such synch it seemed as though they had been practicing this movement for days just to make and entrance for her.

"Hey, Cassy," said the twin to her right.

Cass, who had never been called Cassy in her life, didn't respond.

"You're probably wondering why we're here," said Left.

"I mean, we're normally so cool"

"And sexy,"

"And funny,"

"Don't forget sexy," this comment was directed at the other twin instead of Cass.

"Well, we've decided that with the new look," he directed his words back to the original target.

"And the fact that you didn't run off to the hospital wing to change it,"

"Makes you almost cooler,"

"And sexier"

"Can't say funnier, cause we don't really know you"

"But you're almost cooler than us."

"Almost."

"Ah, of course, Ms. Stacey." The twin to her right looked behind him as Stacey approached, then stood up, holding back his recently vacated chair for her to sit in. Then the two were gone, leaving their usual silence just to remind the people they had just left that the conversation could not carry without them.

"What did they want?" asked Stacey, sounding sympathetic, and Cass realized that part of the reason she wouldn't give up was that this was somewhat her fault for challenging the twins.

"Oh, apparently I'm almost cooler than them."

Stacey mock gasped, "don't worry about them, their just messing with you, I mean, everyone's cooler than _them_."

Cass giggled, and they went on making fun of the twins. Cass didn't mention how much they had actually made her feel better. Even more that day at lunch when they brought Lee down the table and sat with her group;

"'Ello, there, ladies," Cass saw Angelina roll her eyes as they sat down in Alicia and Stacey's usual seats, plus a third one seat away from Cass.

"Hey guys," Cass wasn't as negative towards the visitors as Angelina was.

"Don't worry, Angelina" said Stacy, who had also noticed her negativity, but was ready to forgive the twins with Cass

"Yeah, we aren't here for _you_"

"We're here for the beautiful Cassy,"

"We wanted to ask how to become as pretty as her,"

"For people less fortunate than us, of course."

"Like Lee," the twin next to her grabbed Lee around the shoulders, who scoffed.

"He just cant find anyone else to insult without insulting himself," Lee whispered into her ear as though it were their little secret.

Cass felt the warm tingle that told her she was blushing, and wasn't exactly ashamed of it. She didn't mention that all the things they thought were pretty about her were caused by them, she had a feeling that they were getting to that part.

The conversation went on, filled mostly by the twins. When Stacey and Alicia got joined them, they sat in the two nearest empty seats, and just like that they became friends.

It wasn't until sixth year when everything had to get complicated.

* * *

><p>I've read the books about a thousand times, and I'm still not sure what the robes are supposed to look like, so I based clothing on the pictures and movies.<p>

Anyways, I really hope you guys like it, I know that the first few chapters are kind of misleading, because they take place before the story, and seem slightly irrelevant, but it's really important to the story to know why George and Cass were so close in the first place. And I thought it would add to the story if George gave Cass the confidence that would end up being used against him. You'll see how later.


	4. Chapter 4

The next four years went by as any year does; intensely vital while happening, yet silly and forgotten when looked back upon. Cass's memory became very selective, and it was only a month later that she couldn't say exactly how she had become part of her new group. By sixth year, she could hardly remember a time when she hadn't been part of it.

It had been in her third year that she had been asked to Hogsmeade for the first time by a boy in her year. They had dated for 4 months, until Cass had broken it off for reasons she wasn't completely sure of. She hadn't had a boyfriend since. And despite Angelina and Alicia's constant badgering, she hadn't tried to find one. It wasn't her fault if no one went for her.

It was in fourth year that she first got drunk. Now she went to secret parties in random dungeons almost regularly, though she had never gotten formally invited: Fred and George always did, and of course Stacy; she was probably the biggest partier in Gryffindor, so Cass was always invited by default, or if needed, by George. Cass suspected George's favouritism to her to be due to the fact that while dancing next to her, anyone would look like an expert in comparison. Also because she was one of the few people who actually did dance.

It had taken Cass two years to be able to tell the twins apart. Though she still couldn't at first sight, there were certain ways of differentiating the two despite their symmetry. It were simple things such as the one who spoke first was most likely Fred, while the one who turned up at two in the morning alone on a broomstick at the window to your dormitory with a bottle of firewhiskey was generally George. Not that Fred was against waking up the girls in the middle of the night, he just never seemed to do it alone.

It wasn't until the middle of her fourth year when she had been in their dormitory while they were getting dressed that Cass finally found a definite difference. This difference was in the way they tied their ties. Though Fred went with the sloppy three step manoeuvre which Cass had been taught to use, George tied his with a selection of complicated twists as was supposed to be done. This also left them looking slightly different; George's tie was slightly shorter and the knot more square compared to Fred's loose triangle.

Of course, this way of telling the two apart was absolutely pointless while they weren't wearing their school uniforms. Leaving Cass, on the first day of sixth year walking onto the train, to her previous solution.

"So…which one's which?"

The two put their hands to the hearts with mock expressions of pain on their faces, "You _should_ be able to tell us apart by now." The one on the right spoke first and Cass figured it was probably Fred. He spoke from close behind her, as he and George were both walking side-by-side behind her, each lifting a corner of her trunk, as she carried the front; the whole thing at once was too much for her.

"_We_ don't go around mixing up you and Stacey."

"Or you and Lee"

"Lee's too ugly anyways."

Lee scoffed from ahead of them. "You're just jealous of this." He flexed his barely existent muscles, which looked rather pathetic from Cass's point of view, which was walking through the train behind him.

"And you two had to dye my hair pink to make the differentiation."

Cass had learnt a lot about wizarding hair dye over three years of it being bright pink. For starters, wizarding hair dye didn't bother with the toxic chemicals and the wait for the colour to absorb. It also didn't grow out. And though this was convenient for witches too lazy to dye their roots once a month, it was not, in fact, and good thing while explaining to your uptight muggle mother that your new colour would never go away. Cass had actually had quite a fun time pissing her off, then joking afterwards with her father who was a wizard about how much of a control freak her mother was.

"Damn," said Probably-Fred.

"I think she caught on to our master plan."

"I think we'll have to kill her now-"

"Can't have her spilling our secrets."...

It was just then that Jason Krepp entered their section of the train. Cass reckoned that he looked even better wearing muggle jeans and tee shirts than in his uniform. Though she couldn't necessarily complain about either, for he was good looking enough to be a muggle movie star.

In fact, it would have been and entrance right out of one of Cass's mothers chick flicks, only the conductor took that moment to lurch foreword, sending all the passengers into an awkward tilt, and Jason to hold onto the wall for support.

Cass had joined an arts club in the middle of her third year at Hogwarts (you had to be fourteen to join). That was where she had met the stunning fourth (now sixth) year Jason Krepp, who was now in charge of the entire group.

"Alright, Jason?" asked Stacey.

"Great, you?"

"Real good."

Jason nodded in acknowledgement to Stacey's' response before turning to Cass. "You ready for Art Geek Club this year?"

"Yup," Cass smiled in real excitement as she had wanted to get her hands on the magical paints and start a new work she was planning.

"Good…I was thinking we could paint the ceiling to the tower this year. I know it'll be a bit of a pain in the neck… literally, but I think it needs to be done, and it'll be cool if we could make our mark."

"The ceiling? What will we draw?"

"I dunno, we'll have to have a meeting about it… but I don't think we should have everyone do it, only some of the better artists, so don't go spreading this."

Cass grinned, hoping Jason would also notice the way her legs looked in her shiney green skirt her sister had bought her for whenever she had to dress like a muggle, which she had worn just for Jason to see.

Unfortunately Jason didn't seem to notice anything but her artwork, and left their compartment with just a wave, and left Cass with all kinds of thoughts about how lousy it was to be stuck with such pale skin which refused to tan, and burned and freckled instead. Cass didn't notice the one person who had noticed her ability to pull off muggle attire.

* * *

><p>So, now we're finally starting the actual story plot. I know the first few chapters are kind of slow, but I hope they're still interesting, and whats a Harry Potter fanfic without the Hogwarts Express? Anyways, tell me what you think about Jason, and about Cass.<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

George Weasley had entered platform nine and three quarters without a thought Cassandra Stirr, though a head full of plans for the year ahead. Until, of course, he began walking behind her on the train.

It was strange, really, how things such as this seemed to work. You could go eighty years without seeing a bike, and get back on one day and automatically know how to ride. A dog could never have seen water in his entire life, then be dropped in a pool one day and know exactly how to paddle to shore. And George Weasley could spend an entire summer purposely _not_ thinking about Cassandra Stirr, and then be right back to the same state of blatant wanting, or "lost puppy" as Fred liked to joke, just by watching her step into a compartment.

Cass shook her butt as she walked. Not prominently. Not even in a bouncy way, it seemed as she were just so firm on the ground that each step transferred all of her weight to one foot. Cass had the kind of arse which bounced without encouragement, and had been described as a perfect little apricot (though Cass had always been quite disturbed by this comparison).

Not that George had been necessarily looking. His mother had taught him to be a good boy, and not stare at places like that; though George Weasley was never one to follow his mothers' words, so he merely was glancing, and forgetting to look away. At least until his brother who was walking next to him, dragging his trunk violently behind the two, smacked him upside the head.

"Perv," at least Fred was decent enough to whisper.

"Shut it"

"So you _were_ looking."

"I said shut it"

Fred grinned evilly, and then raised his voice so Cass could hear. "So...how was your summer?"

"The usual...family, Dr. Who marathons, feeling like a loser for never going out."

"I don't get why you don't just make some new friends and go out with them," Fred spoke loudly over the noise of the train and their trunks dragging against the linoleum.

"Because everyone in my neighbourhood is a muggle, and their all _so _boring because they can't do magic."

"Coming from a half-blood."

"I'm sorry, I'm not being anti-muggle or anything, I just don't like to have to watch what I say." Cass changed the subject, "So, how was the World Cup?"

"Awesome." George figured it about time to join the conversation.

"I heard the Irish seeker got pretty beat up," Cass had never quite understood quiddich, but she still found joy in watching the games, and seeing who got the most beat up.

"IT'S EMPTY!" Lee thrust his fist into the air, and the seven man procession came to a scrambled halt to wait for Lee to open the compartment door. Lee set down his trunk with the type of slowness most would only use while handling something fragile.

"Yo!" Angelina shouted from behind, "Hurry up! This thing is heavy," she was referring to her own trunk which, indeed, did look at least twice the size of Cass's unliftable one.

Cass felt her trunk bounce slightly, the weight transferring to the bend of her wrist which the corner was settled on then back, to show that one of the twins was adjusting their grip and Cass couldn't agree with Angelina more as Lee finally managed to open the door, but was now struggling to pick up his own trunk.

"I don't know why we've got to have so many books this year. My stuff wasn't nearly as heavy last year." Stacey complained from behind to the general mutterings of agreement.

"I know, right? This year is going to be _so _fun," Cass said sarcastically.

"It _will _be fun," said Fred mischievously.

Stacy promptly smacked him in the arm. "I thought we weren't scheming until we saw each other, "she scowled indignantly.

"Don't worry, we'll fill you in on everything later."

"You'd better," said Stacy, losing her scowl, and grinning, "and I'll fill you in on all of my plans as well."

"Speaking of plans, does anyone know anything about what's supposed to be happening at Hogwarts this year?" asked George.

"Something's going on at Hogwarts?" asked Cass. "What kind of something?"

"We have no idea, my whole family knows, but no one will tell us anything. I think they're rather enjoying keeping it from us."

"That's nice of them," said Lee.

"I know, right? And the worst is Percy who thinks he's all superior since he's in the ministry," said Fred.

"Well, if the ministry is organizing it, it can't be too interesting," Cass responded.

"True," said Fred.

"Anyways, we have more important things to worry about." Said Stacy.

"What?" more than one person asked at once.

"The Back to School party!" said Stacy as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Don't the Hufflepuffs usually plan that?" Cass asked, remembering the last back to school party she had been to.

"No, Peter Thompson, Hufflepuff chaser, usually organized them, but he graduated last year, no one's stepped up to plan it yet."

"Wait, there can't _not _be a back to school party, it's just not right," said Angelina, who, as a quittich player was invited to all the events.

"How do you even know if anyone's stepped up to take Peters place." Asked Cass. "You've only been back for about half an hour."

"It's the first excuse to get drunk under McGonagall's nose of the year, I know all about it."

"Of course," said Cass, smiling at her best friend.

"Anyways, I was thinking about throwing it, but will you guys help?"

"Of course," said the twins in unison.

"You know, I've always thought we should have a party in the art tower. It's definitely big enough, and it's secluded enough that I don't think anyone would ever get caught."

"Perfect! You'll be in charge of getting Jason to agree to it."

"We can be in charge of getting the drinks," said Fred, obviously referring him and George.

And they went on making plans and delegating jobs to everyone, Lee ended up in charge of advertisement. Stacy ended up with no job at all, despite the fact that she was the one who had wanted to organized it in the first place. .

The start of year speech began as usual, and there was a general astonishment and excitement when the Tournament was announced.

To be honest, Cass was a bit embarrassed by the twin's excitement towards breaking into the tournament. She knew they wanted the money, but it always embarrassed her when people got overexcited about being in the spotlight.

* * *

><p>Ooh. So now we know that George is a hopeless case, and we're starting to realize what Cass really thinks about the twins. I won't say more, you have to read. Hope you enjoy. I know that i sort of ignored the whole speech and all of that, but I wasn't sure if I could pull off a detailed description, especially since anything I write will be compared to JK Rowling since it's the same event.<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

George Weasley started his day from the floor.

It was in no way an ideal, for the ground was accompanied by numerous aches and the annoyance which usually accompanies falling off the bed.

It really wasn't George's fault; he was usually much more graceful than this. He put complete blame on his alarm clock which had been unfortunately far from his reach and happened to tempt him off the bed while he was trying to reach for it.

"I think you've broken it," said his twin from a standing position above him.

"If you mean my arm, then yes," George rolled onto his back, relieving the pressure from his right arm.

Fred looked down at the broken quill in his right hand, which had until a minute ago been George's alarm clock.

"Well get dressed, classes start in ten minutes."

"What! Why didn't you wake me up?" breathed George, abandoning his check for injuries, and reaching his arms to either bed to pull himself off the ground. Then he started a mad scramble for books and clothes.

His brother simply shrugged, laughing as he watched George try to hop around their dormitory and pull on his pants at the same time. "And miss a morning of entertainment? NEVER."

The Weasley twins arrived at the great hall three quarters dressed; George was on the first button of his shirt, and Fred held his brothers school bag and tie.

"Mornin'" Stacey said brightly.

"How could you be so cheerful?" Cass sounded aghast.

"Cass, classes haven't even started yet, how can you be tired?"

"I slept at 2."

"And whose fault is that?" Alicia asked, still annoyed that her dorm mates had kept her up late.

"Yours, because you snore."

Alicia rolled her eyes, "oh yes, and the blaring music and the fact that you were practically humping my bedposts all night had nothing to do with it."

"Shut up," said Cass in her best five year old voice.

Alicia smiled affirmatively at Cass' lack of comebacks then turned back to George, "You're a button off, by the way."

George, who had been sustaining a mental picture of Cass humping his bedpost, looked down and frowned at his nearly complete and ridiculously lopsided shirt. He spent a full minute trying to fasten his tie around his uneven collar before he gave in and started unbuttoning the shirt.

"So, what's first?" asked Fred.

"History of Magic," answered Stacey, sliding two identical schedules to the twins from her curiously large stack of parchment.

"Excellent," said Cass brightly.

"Since when has History of Magic ever been "excellent"?"

"Are we not allowed to be happy in this group anymore?"

"We can be happy, just not about classes."

"It could be worse, like tomorrow, we have a double period with Snape," Cass had dropped the "professor" title after her third year, and fifth detention.

Fred grinned down at his schedule, him and George had dropped he subject..

"We should probably get going," Alicia said, saving herself from being lectured on how she would have done better to have dropped it as well. She knew they were probably right.

George frowned at his still bare plate, and undone tie, but stood up reluctantly with the rest. Then, looking back mournfully at the buckets of food, he grabbed a muffin from the right of his setting and stuffed it into his bag.

They trudged the familiar route to History of Magic, settling into their usual seats in the back row of desks. The second they sat down, George started digging through his books, pulling out a piece of parchment, though not for the same reasons as Alicia who was setting up her desk with a small stack of blank parchment, and a perfectly placed bottle of ink, with a quill on the right side, lying perfectly parallel to her parchment, waiting to be picked up.

"What's that for?" Cass asked him in a whisper; Professor Binns had recently begun his beginning of year speech which had surprised George as he realized that it, for the first time, was not an exact copy of the year before, but this time he included the sombre addition of the horrors of O.W.L's, which he incessantly informed everyone, required copious amounts of homework and extra studying. George was glad he had something to occupy him other than listening to it.

"You," George said, not thinking to explain the obscure reply.

"What?"

"You'll see." And he began folding the parchment, tearing it into a square, then starting to fold and unfold the parchment into halves and quarters. Cass watched his hands move absentmindedly as he creased the parchment repeatedly, and then pulled apart his folds. When he was done, there sat on his desk what looked like a muggle origami paper crane, only much more complicated and less graceful looking.

He pulled out his wand, not even attempting to hide it from Professor Binns and tapped it thrice against the paper. "It's a dragon," said George, smiling at her.

"Looks like a bit of crumpled parchment to me," joked Cass.

George frowned at it quizzically; "Yeah… well…" then he tapped his wand against the parchment again, this time spreading a golden glow across the yellowed folds.

The parchment figure suddenly came to life; it reached out its folded wings, flattening out the creases, and then settling back into a more elegant position.

Cass giggled, making George grin wildly. He prodded it with his wand again, this time lighting it a glowing green which stayed in the creases. The miniature dragon shuddered, teetering from side to side, trying to turn and look at Cass even though it had no legs. Cass, much to George's delight, picked up the little dragon, and placed it on her hand, smiling at each shudder it made.

* * *

><p>Fred shook his head from behind his brother, "pathetic" he murmured to Angelina next to him.<p>

Angelina smiled, "she's not much better, though, if she hasn't figured it out yet.

"He's the one who hasn't got the guts to tell her."

"But I bet he'll end up telling her before she figures it out, though."

"You willing to put money on that?" Fred had a glint in his eye which usually came with causing trouble, but was just as present while insulting his brother.

Angelina grinned back "Why, you don't agree?"

"No, Cass is the least observant person in the world, but she's not a dipshit like George."

"Fine, 2 galleon," and they shook.

* * *

><p>The little parchment dragon had now given up on trying to take flight without a running start, as it had as soon as Cass set it back on the table. Now it was scooting itself across the desk using one wing as a type of paddle, trying to reach edge so it could slide off the desk and catch the air.<p>

It was just about to reach its destination, when George tapped it again, spreading a warm red colour through its creases. When it did reach the end, it rose quickly, catching the stale air of the classroom and using it as leverage to lift itself above the heads of what was now many spectators; Professor Binns' class was excessively boring, and no one had much better to do but watch the tiny piece of parchment in its ventures. The dragon followed the commands of George's thoughts, and circled above the classes heads before landing back on Cass' knee.

It was when George let his thoughts wander that it started to act less on his orders, and more on its performance of being a dragon. It stretched back its parchment wings, and straightened out its neck. Then a tiny rip appeared horizontally across its beaklike face. Arrww it purred softly, stretching the rip in its beak wide enough to let out a tiny burst of flame.

The blaze was no larger than one given off by a match, or a muggle lighter on a low setting, but it was enough. Enough for entice a squeal to leave Cass' mouth, and enough to start a much bigger flame across the hem of Cass' skirt.

"Shit!" George yelled, causing the whole class to leave the world of oblivion, and turn to watch the newest action unfold.

By the time Professor Binns had paused his lecture to see the new development, George was trying to put out the skirt with his hands, and Cass was sitting there in a moment of shock and stillness which came before the moment most people freak out.

No one noticed Fred silently laughing at his brother to the side. No one noticed Alicia ; always keeping her head as she stood up, and pushed Cass' flailing arms out of the way. She raised her wand, which was long and thin; perfect for the charm which she was about to perform, and flicked it simply, letting out a silent gush of water, straight onto the intended target; the hem of Cass' skirt.

There was a minute of heavy breathing as the burning heat of Cass's smoking skirt was replaced by the ice cold freeze of Alicia 's water stream. This minute contained sixty seconds of gratitude for Alicia 's advanced spellmanship.

"Oh, fuck," Cass said in a dazed way that made many people around her chuckle.

"Ms... er..." began Professor Binns started.

"Stirr, sir."

"Yes, please replace your skirt." He beckoned towards the door, then, without waiting for her to leave, or for the class to turn back towards him, he continued his lecture, as though nothing had ever happened.

Sadly, not everyone had the luxury of nonchalance; George's ears were glowing redder than Cass's burnt thighs. Though her cheeks were yet redder than his ears as she lifted her bag onto her shoulder, and pulled her robes around her, trying to hide the skimpiness of her burnt away skirt. She exited the room awkwardly, with the front of her robes bunched in front of her, and the backs stretched tight around her thighs.

The second the door clicked shut, George groaned. He leaned over, putting his head against his desk. He had fallen off his bed, broken his alarm clock, missed breakfast, and lit the girl he had been trying to impress on fire... all in the first hour of his day.

He felt three sudden jolts of Fred patting him harshly on his back. "Don't worry mate, you'll have plenty more opportunities to light her up completely. Just a couple more go's and you'll get there."

George regarded him sourly while Angelina giggled behind him. "Don't be too upset about it, I mean, you guys are friends, it's not like this is the first time you've made a complete fool of yourself in front of her."

"Don't remind me," George refused to laugh with them.

"Of course, there was that time in third year with those nibblers," George put his head back on his desk. "and that time we were all in the forbidden forest and you fell in that hole, and don't forget the time you were trying to prove to her you were brave enough to shake hands with the giant squid, and you fell in the lake, and-"

"Wait," George looked up again, "That was you who fell in the lake."

Fred shrugged "It's not as though she can tell the difference anyways, you know, if you two start dating, you're going to have to sort that out, don't want her snogging me by accident, though I can't say I would mind."

"Shut it."

"Of course, at the rate you're going-"

"I said shut it."

Fred grinned cheekily, satisfied with George's frustration.


	7. Chapter 7

Cass slid out of the classroom with cheeks glowing red, trying to ignore the burning in her thighs. So much for her favourite skirt. _Typical George_, she thought bitterly_, always having to be the centre of attention_. She loved both the twins, but sometimes she wished they weren't so obsessed with joking around, and impressing people. Especially George, it seemed that whenever she was around him, he was doing something to try to make himself look good, and embarrassing himself in ways which make Cass feel embarrassed for him. She was getting pretty sick of feeling the embarrassment for a guy who seemed to have no shame.

No matter, though, she had better things to worry about. First of all, the fact that the skirt she was going to wear to her first day back to art club was now ruined, and she had to come up with something just as sexy to wear later.

"Hey Stacy," said Cass as she entered their dormitory.

"Cass!" exclaimed Stacy. "You decided to skip with me! I told you it was the best way to go."

"I didn't come here to skip class," said Cass through Stacy's exited jumping. "Why would you want to skip the first class of the year anyways, you can't be tired already."

"Yes, but you only get to skip the first class of sixth year once."

"You also only get to go to the first class of sixth year once," Cass reasoned.

"But why would anyone want to do that?"

"Good point."

"So why are you here if not to skip class?" asked Stacy.

"I need a new skirt," Cass dropped the front of her robes.

"Balls, what happened."

"George," Cass groaned, as she fell into her perfectly made four poster.

Stacey grinned widely, which pissed Cass off, did she think Cass' pain was funny? It also bothered her that she looked as though she knew something Cass didn't. "He wanted you out of your skirt that badly?" she asked, always cracking jokes.

"I think the goal was more to burn me to a crisp."

"How did this happen anyways."

"He was flying some kind of origami dragon around the room, and it started breathing fire."

Stacey shook her head. "he's got to stop trying to impress you, then maybe he will."

"I know, right?" said Cass enthusiastically. "Both of them are just so obsessed with showing off, it's starting to really piss me off. I mean, it's fine if they're trying to relieve the class of boredom, but why do they always have to embarrass me in the process!"

"Don't be so hard on them, normally their jokes are always fun at least."

"Yeah, until I get lit on fire," muttered Cass. "Anyways, first things first, I need something sexy to wear to art club tonight so I can impress Jason."

Stacey winced, "Well, good luck with that, all we have Hogwarts is uniforms, and, let's see, more Hogwarts uniforms."

"Yeah, but this was my only skirt which wasn't about 5 centimetres thick."

"Wear those tight pants that you bought at the muggle shop. "

"Alright, class is almost over, you in for second period?"

"What's second period?"

"I've got ruins, I don't know about you."

"Divination," said Stacy. "Don't know if I'm ready for all that Trawlaney though."

"You can't just skip the whole day. You haven't even been to any classes yet."

"Fine, I'll go, but only for you."

"Stay if you want," said Cass, obviously still in a mood from the incident before.

"Oh, don't be so bitter, in a few hours you'll be in Jason heaven."

Cass looked over to Stacey, "Alright, fine." And they exited the dormitories together, only splitting up when they got near the Great Hall, and making their way towards their separate classes.

* * *

><p>"You set her on fire?" asked Stacey as soon as her butt met the puff next to George.<p>

George hid his face in his hands and his brother laughed. "How do you know about that?" asked George.

"I know everything," said Stacey darkly.

"It seems like it sometimes," said Fred.

"Seriously though, how do you know?" asked George, worried by how fast gossip could spread at Hogwarts.

"Cass told me." George groaned. "Right after her rant on how you guys keep messing things up and embarrassing her," Stacey added, just for good measure.

"This wouldn't be happening if you would just move on, I bet Stacey would go out with you," said his brother consolingly.

"In your dreams," said Stacey, making a face at Fred. "Anyways, what you need to do first is convince her you're a person. Today, during her rant, it was never George set me on fire, it was _Fred and_ George set me on fire. Maybe if you convinced her you were actually a person, and not just part of a jokester team she would take you as seriously as she takes Jason."

"Jason?" asked George, "So she's still in love with him, huh?"

"I wouldn't say love, but yeah, pretty much."

George leaned back into his puff.

"Just start by apologising, and work from there," suggested Stacey, "then work towards the smartest thing you can do, _tell her you fancy her!_"

"You really think that will work?" asked George doubtfully.

"Confidence is the sexy, ask Cass herself."

"I do have confidence."

"Not around her, you don't," said Stacey

"And _everyone_ can tell," Said Fred unhelpfully.

"But even if I tell her, it won't help as long as she still fancies Jason."

Stacey held up her hands in defeat. "Whatever you want, I give up on trying to help you with this, but if you won't tell her, at least convince her you're more than just half the twins, it'll help you more than you think."


	8. Chapter 8

Cass made it through the day avoiding the twins. It wasn't as though she didn't want to talk to them, she simply hadn't decided if she was mad at them or not yet. She had spent her day sitting in the opposite corner of the room with Stacy. She wanted to avoid talking to them until her anger had calmed down.

She wasn't exactly mad at them, not entirely, she was just annoyed that they always had to be the centre of attention, and a lot of the time, it was at her expense. It wouldn't bother her if they were pranking her, she could laugh along with that, but it bothered her that they were always embarrassing themselves, especially George. She remembered being little when she would watch muggle movies, and she would always plug her ears when the characters were going through embarrassing moments, like some did while watching blood and gore. She cheered on the gore, but could not stand watching the characters make fools of themselves. She felt the same way while hanging out with the twins. They were always trying to make people be in awe of them, and somehow that seemed fake to her, as though they were both posers playing at having fun. She loved the twins for their witty remarks, and their contagious confidence, but some of the things the two did, especially George, just seemed so fake to her, no, not fake, just desperate, desperate for attention, and it annoyed her to no end.

It wasn't until Herbology that she came to the conclusion that playing at angry would do more harm than good, so she entered the greenhouse doors, and made straight to her normal spot at the back of the windowed room, ready to accept any apology, hoping it would have some form of food involved, as the twins' apologies often did.

"Hey Cass!" she had barely made two steps forward when she heard it.

Square knotted tie, "hey George,"

"Look, Cass, I'm really sorry. I really didn't mean to embarrass you."

_Embarrass!_ He thought _she _was embarrassed. Well, of course he did, she decided bitterly, she had been holding her skirts together, and she had rushed out of the room awfully fast. Yet still, he should know that she wasn't that much a coward that she was running away. Cass took a deep breath, and let her pride get the better of her. She was a _Gryffindor_, and one of her best friends figured her for embarrassed.

"_Embarrassed!" _Cass snapped, "You think that's why I'm pissed off?"

George looked as though he'd been smacked in the face, and made a noise as though he had.

"How about how my thighs are burning, and my favourite skirt is ruined, all because you're such a fucking princess that you always have to be the centre of attention? Huh?"

"Cass, that's not how it was, that's not why-"

"Don't start." She cut him off, but is seemed as though she had sliced his body instead of words. "That's what it always is. It may not occur to you, but it does to everyone else, you're a fucking attention-whore, both of you, why don't both of you just get over yourselves, then maybe I wouldn't have ended up on bloody fire." her thoughts were not meant to be said, yet they were boiling over the edge of the pot, and spilling out of her in sharp, cold words. But soon the flowing boil-over doused the flame which fed it, and she was left with an empowered feeling, glad she had finally said the things she had been thinking for so long.

Everyone was looking now. And Cass was thankful that Madame Sprout had left with half the class on a soil-run, or else she would certainly have been cut off before her outburst had the chance to end. She looked around the room at the staring faces of her classmates, then back at George. Suddenly she didn't feel so empowered. She had made the friend who had no shame turn red around the ears. She felt like she should apologise, but couldn't quite bring herself to it. Instead she gave George one last look of apology and strode out the greenhouse.

* * *

><p>Cass slid out the door with a swish of pink, and left George in utter astonishment. He looked to his brother for help, but he looked just as shocked as he did, so instead he looked to Stacey, who gave her the same look Cass had, a look of pity. He thought back to what Stacey had told him earlier, about Cass not thinking of him as his own person, he had never realized how true that was until now, even as she was telling him off, it wasn't just him; it was him <em>and his brother.<em> Even though he was the one she was mad at, somehow that automatically transferred to Fred as well. Was that what she thought when she looked at him? Half an attention-craving princess? Is that what his hopeless attempts to impress her had made her think? _This_ was what she thought?

* * *

><p>This was how Cass worked; once the anger was let out, there was nothing left but guilt. That's why she hid. She barged into the quidditch locker rooms and slid to the end of a bench. She shouldn't have said that. Not to Fred, or George, and not in front of the class. She wondered if she would have any friends tonight when she made it to the Great Hall for dinner. Scenes of George sliding to a different seat every time she tried to sit next to him, as she always did, surfaced in her head, worse were the fantasies of Angelina telling her off. She knew that she had given everyone who ever had a grudge against the Weasley's a perfect nickname for the two. Yet she could be comforted by the fact that they would both just laugh it off and think of something even more biting to say back to anyone who dare attempt use it. Still, she should not have said it. She should have accepted George's apology instead of making it necessary for her to apologise instead. Damn her effing pride. Damn it to bloody burning hell. Maybe George had been right, maybe she had been embarrassed. Maybe she had just told herself that she was ashamed for him so she wouldn't have to admit it to herself.<p>

She slid back into the greenhouse quietly, glad that Professor Sprout was occupied with her example, showing the class how to wrestle particularly violent, yet cruelly beautiful plants into pots of soil. She almost disbelieved her luck, since Professor Sprout did not so much as look her direction as she lined herself up next to Stacey, disappointingly far from the twins, after all, having a partner came before apologies. She would find her way over to them as soon as the class started.

It took her twenty minutes to realize that was not going to happen. Neither of the twins would as much as look in her direction, and she was placed at the opposite corner of the room. Even as she walked the long way around the giant table to grab some more soil, and tapped on George's back, he did not so much as turn to look at her. She took that as a sign of anger and continued working bitterly with Stacey, who was little help, because in order to wrestle such a violent plant, their chances for conversation became extremely limited.

* * *

><p>Yay! two in one day. anyways, keep reading. Do you guys think it's going too slow? I know that there are a lot of unnecessary seeming chapters, but I think that they're important. I want to know, because I have up to chapter 14 written, and if you guys think it should move faster I can fix it. Oh, and special thanks to DMG5440 for all of your awesome reviews.<p> 


	9. Chapter 9

Fred spent his Herbology watching his brother as George sent not-so-covert looks in Cass' direction. He had honestly never known that Cass was so annoyed by him and George, though he assumed he shouldn't be surprised, let's just say that being set on fire wasn't the worst backfire yet. Still, he couldn't help but wonder why she hadn't come over and apologised, or if she was really mad enough that it didn't matter if they weren't friends anymore. He didn't exactly have much time to think about it though, because he spent a good 99% of the hour being attacked by a plant.

Apology came in the form of cupcakes, his favourite form. She bent across the table to drop it next to his plate then set one next to his brother as she sat back into her chair.

"Should I take this as an apology?" asked Fred, eyeing the small finger-sized smudge in the heaping pile of chocolate frosting atop the cupcake, which was a neutral yellow colour.

Cass looked at George as she replied, "Yeah, I'm sorry; I shouldn't have said any of that."

Fred was willing to accept her apology in an instant, knowing that everyone said things. And his idiot brother _did_ set her on fire. But one look at said brother gave him second thoughts. "Whuddo you think, Georgie? Think we should make her sweat? My cupcake is missing a piece."

"You weren't supposed to notice that! I just got a tad hungry on my way up. It's barely even a piece!" Cass almost shouted.

"It is more of a smudge," Fred said reasonably, scrunching up his forehead, and contemplating his cupcake. "Did it at least taste alright?"

"Yes, those house-elves are geniuses; I only wish I could get them to do my homework for me."

"They probably would if you asked," Stacey reasoned.

"So forgiven?" Fred opened his mouth to respond, and then realized that Cass wasn't asking him, he was asking his brother.

"Yeah."

"Good," said Stacey, as though nothing had even happened. "Now to the party plans." And Stacey's tone seemed to convince everyone else that her outburst had been no big deal.

* * *

><p>Cass ate quickly then hurried out of the Great Hall and towards her the art tower. She had left the table while Stacey shouted at her to remember to ask Jason about using the tower. And no matter how exciting the plans for their party were, she was glad to have an excuse to leave. After fifteen minutes of George's uncertain looks, and Lee's monologues on how he was going to get the hot seventh year Ravenclaw to hook up with him at the party, she was desperate for a few quiet moments with Jason.<p>

Cass walked quickly as she left their table behind her and headed toward the art tower. It was a small tower, not nearly as large as the one which housed Gryffindor. Very few even knew it existed. Most simply accepted it as more empty space in the cavernous Hogwarts Castle. The tower had no trap door, or portrait to hide it, but it had a door in the arched shape of the other windows in the corridor, and it had been painted to look like the grounds which lay beyond the tower. The only problem was that the grounds in the painting were patched with dirty snow, which was inexistent this early in the year.

Cass arrived early as she had to. Jason was a brilliant artist, but she found the brilliant artist passed out, snoring on top of one of a paint-spattered work table. She shook her head, and shut the door behind her a loudly as she could. Jason sat up in alarm, "wazzat?" he asked.

"Your brain, it's telling you to get up and set up."

"Well then, sir brain, tell me what I should set up for," he swung his legs over the edge of the table and turned to face her.

Cass rolled her eyes, "okay," she stood in front of the wall of drawers and closets which held their supplies. "Clean or messy?"

"Messy, let the new recruits have their fun."

"Cheap or expensive?"

"Cheap, we don't want the one-timers using up all the good stuff, but we do need to put out some of the color-changers and the glow paints to keep them interested."

"So you want paints?"

"Yeah, it gives them the most options."

"Okay, but some of the Freshies will want instruction, anything in particular you want them to do?"

"You're the brain."

"Fine." Luckily Cass had already thought of an activity. "we'll do name-art. Its cliché, but it's a good way to get to know everyone, and what they can do."

"You know what brain?"

"What?"

"You are a creative genius, no wonder you're in my head."

Cass rolled her eyes. "I should have your job."

"You probably should, but I rather like it for myself, thanks, I get to use the special prefect's bathroom and everything."

Cass shook her head, "that's what you're in it for, the bathroom?"

"Yup."

Cass laughed. Then there was silence as the two set up by taking out all the supplies they were going to use, and pulling it up the stairs then lining it up on the long, thin table which lined the walls. Then they climbed the spiral staircase to the top floor of the tower, and sat of the cushy couch provided.

There were four levels of the art tower. The first was all boxes and drawers for supplies. The second was full of tables for work, and the third with relatively cleaner tables. The fourth was a bright room, with windows all around. It housed the couch which Cass and Jason shared, and the circular windows were lined with easels, which could be unhinged and lowered into small tables the size of desks. It was Cass' favourite room in all of Hogwarts. It was always bright with natural light, and the couch was softer than any in the Gryffindor common room. It was also huge. All the rooms in the tower were huge, and only the fact that there were just four of them made the tower smaller than the rest.

They sat in their usual positions, Jason in the normal sitting position, with his arm on the armrest to his right, a position which Cass had never been able to find comfortable. Cass sat with the left armrest supporting her back, and her legs bent slightly. Her arms were stretched behind her head, which was her favourite way to sit. And there was silence. Perfect, sweet silence. Then Cass remembered

She shot up excitedly, "I had to ask you something."

"Yeah?" he asked patiently.

"We want to have the Back to School party in this tower."

Whatever Jason had been expecting her to ask, this was not it. "A party."

"Yeah, it would be perfect!"

He thought for a moment.

"Come on, _please_," Cass knew that the worst mistake she could make was let him think about it.

"Cass, if we're caught, I could get in a lot of trouble," too late.

"But we'll _muffliato_ all around the tower, and anyone who would be invited would have done it before, so they know how to avoid teachers."

He just looked at her.

"And even if we _do_ get caught, which won't happen, you can say that you gave me the key because I was walking back with you and I forgot my jacket or something like that. Then I'll be the one getting in trouble, and the only thing they can accuse you of being is too trusting."

"I still don't know, Cass."

"Come on, it'll be fun, it's the perfect place, and we can lock up all the supplies, and push aside the tables, just imagine it."

Jason looked at her for another moment, and Cass bent down her bottom lip, pouting in a way which she knew didn't look cute at all, so she hoped her pleading eyes worked that for her.

"Fine, but only 'cause you're so cute."

Cass grinned a little too widely at this.

* * *

><p>Okay, I really want to know what you guys think on whether or not its moving too slowly, because so far you guys haven't gotten to read any of the really fun stuff, and it does get a lot better, and a lot less innocent. I'd really like to know what you guys want to read.<p> 


	10. Chapter 10

"So, angry Cass, huh?" Alicia prodded George with the handle of her fork as soon as Cass was too far to hear them.

"Yeah seriously, I'm pretty sure she hates me," said George.

"Come on, people say things, you did light her on fire after all," Stacey defended her friend loyally.

"Do you really think that that was the only incident she was thinking about when she said those things, you said it yourself, and I should have listened, I've been trying to impress this girl for a year, and the only result was making her see me as half an attention-whore."

Eyes flickered to his brother.

"Well maybe if you had just told her in the first place like I told you to, she wouldn't be so convinced of it!" Stacey's frustration began to show in her cheeks, "Maybe if she knew you fancied her, she would be flattered that you were trying to look better in front of her instead of embarrassed that you keep mucking up. Maybe then she wouldn't be so convinced you were doing it for attention." Stacey's words were sincere, but her tone was bitter.

George looked down; upset that this was the second time that day he'd been snapped at.

"Well, at least now you can give up and move on," said Alicia in a voice meant to smooth things over but didn't really help the situation much.

"Yeah, I bet Stacey will go out with you," came Fred's solution to all of George's girl problems.

"What is your obsession with setting me up with your brother, it NOT going to happen. Ever."

"Thanks, Stacey, really, you're a big help," said George, thinking again of how similar her look of pity was to Cass'.

"Okay," said Angelina, "everybody just stop. Cass was annoyed that you lit her on fire, it's perfectly reasonable," she looked at Stacey as she said this. "But maybe instead of sitting around thinking she hates you, you should let her get to know you when you're not making a fool of yourself. For merlins sake, no wonder she doesn't think of you as your own person, when's the last time you talked to her on your own?"

George thought about that for a second. He knew Angelina was probably right, she usually was. But still, he was sure they had spoken alone, he remembered hanging out with her all the time last year.

But as he searched his memory, each time seemed to have Fred involved, or Stacey, and a lot of the time Alicia as well. How did this happen, they used to do everything together, there used to be a reason they sat together in every class, and during every meal, because they were always having their own conversations. In fourth year, they would sneak out after dark almost every night for midnight hot chocolate. Was their being friends now just a habit? He realized solemnly that the more he fancied Cass the further apart they grew.

* * *

><p><strong>The next morning<strong>

The first day back to Hogwarts had not proved a good one, and George didn't have high hopes for the next one either, especially since it began with transfiguration class. He and his brother had generally been able to avoid his mothers' rules for most their lives, but the one thing they had not been able to avoid was her instance that they must take Transfiguration. She had been so upset at how few acceptable grades that they received, they had to agree to taking the class, even if that meant an hour each day of staring at objects and praying for them to change. He also figured he had to sign up for at least one class with some type of legitimate learning involved.

The class filed into their seats, sitting in the same ones which they had been sitting in since first year, simply out of habit. That meant he was, once again, seated next Cass. It wasn't that he didn't want to be with her, but whenever he looked at her, he couldn't help but wondering what she was thinking about, and if she was still judging him, and adding things to her list of reasons why he was an attention-whore.

Someone prodded his left arm. He looked to Professor McGonigal to make sure she wasn't looking too intently in his direction, and then turned to look at Cass. He followed her eyes to a piece of parchment lying on the desk in front of him. Written in Cass' trademark colour-change ink was the question _**are you still mad at me?**_

_No_ he replied, which wasn't entirely a lie. He wasn't as mad as he was disappointed. He wasn't angry, just put down.

_**I am really sorry, I didn't mean to say any of those things. Fred said that he forgave me, but that I should talk to you, and I didn't see you last night. **_

_I had to unpack._ It wasn't a lie, or an excuse. It was the truth, he had spent the night going through his things, trying to find a place for everything so that he could avoid another mad morning scramble.

* * *

><p>Cass read his response, but didn't dip her quill for a long time. She just looked at what he had written, while George looked up to pretend to listen to Professor McGonigal, anxious for Cass' response. <em><strong>If you're mad at me, it's fine, just tell me so I know. <strong>_

Cass was becoming frustrated. Why couldn't he just admit it to her so that she could admit that she didn't really mean it, and that she was the one with the bright pink hair, which made her somewhat more attention-craving than him.

_I'm not mad, I'm disappointed. I thought that one of my best friends would have a higher opinion of me. _Whatever Cass expected him to say next, _this _was not it. What guy would say something like this? Admit to that type of insecurity. Well, maybe that was what George was; different. Completely without shame. Maybe she had been wrong. Maybe it wasn't insecurity, but Gryffindor honesty.

"Miss Stirr, and Mr. Weasley. Don't think I'm so easily fooled by parchment. Detentions to both of you, tomorrow, after supper."

"Sorry Professor," George grinned at professor McGonigal. Cass on the other hand looked down, she hated being reprimanded. And tomorrow she was supposed to be at the art tower, continuing her plans for the ceiling.

Soon enough they set to work, trying to turn some type of strange birds into lamps. Yet Cass could not help wondering if maybe her outburst at George had been completely unprecedented. Maybe he wasn't looking for attention at all, maybe just doing whatever came to mind, as he and his brother generally did, without fear.

* * *

><p>Hey guys. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews, I have another question for you guys though. Do you think that my story is too detached from the book plot? I've been trying to avoid rewriting moments from the book because with the number of times I've read the book and the number of fanfics I've read, I feel like everyone's been there, read that. But if you guys want more book moments, I'd be happy to put them in there. I plan to write about the tasks that take place during my story and the arrival of the different schools, but I'm not sure if you guys would rather it be long and detailed or if just a short mentioning is alright since only a couple of the events are important to my plot.<p> 


	11. Chapter 11

And so Cass found herself spending her valuable Wednesday night sitting in Professor McGonnigall's classroom, transfiguring marbles back into eyeballs. She didn't mind the work, it was simple magic, reversing what the first years had done. On a normal day, this would be a fine enough detention, not nearly as dreadful as Professor Snape's generally were. Yet she couldn't help thinking of what would be happening on a normal Wednesday in the art tower with Jason. He had called her cute the other day. She knew that the pout she used looked more scary than cute, did that mean he liked how excited she was? Maybe he just liked her.

After dousing herself in fantasies of the art tower, she started to realize how strangely silent it was. Usually her detentions with the Weasley twins were trouble. Professor McGonnigal seemed just as confused. Eventually she stood up and asked "You two don't mind if I leave you alone, while I go get some things done, do you?"

There was silence.

"Alright" the professor mimicked Cass' confusion.

The second the classroom door clicked closed; something soared past Cass' nose. "Wha-"

"Damn, I missed," George was still perched in throwing position by the time she swung her head around to look at him.

She raised her eyebrows. "Wow, that's demeaning, Mr. Quidditch player."

"Shut up."

"Seriously, even I can do better than that."

"No" George said indignantly. "Even if I suck, you're worse."

"I'll take that as a challenge," Cass scoffed.

"Fine, the peephole in the door, I bet I can hit it before you can."

"You're on."

George fished through his finished bucket for another eyeball.

"Wait," Cass stopped him with his arm in the air, halfway through a swing.

"Yeah?"

"If I can get it before you, what do I get?"

"You wanna bet on this?"

"Well, I need something if I'm about to go on a throwing contest against a quidditch player."

"Whats the stakes?"

"Got any cash?"

"Nope, how about bragging rights?"

"I already have that for almost everything," it wasn't exactly true, but Cass said it anyways.

"True,"

"I know! Loser gets the other hot chocolate for a month." Cass was referring to when they were in fourth year and used to sneak down to the kitchens for hot chocolate. They would always argue, saying that the other was going to get it for them until they both decided to go together.

"Deal," and he waited no longer before tossing the eyeball. At first it looked as though it might make it, but when it hit the door, it bounced off the hinges, at least a foot away from the peephole, and rolled under Professor McGonigal's desk.

"Haha," Cass grinned. "You suck."

"Like you can do any better!"

"Oh, I can," Cass grabbed one of her own eyeballs, and strode across the room to George's desk.

"What are you doing?"

"Your desk is closer, we have to start from the same point or else it's cheating."

"Fine," George said, his plans ruined, "but you're still going to lose."

Cass pitched it underhand, straight at the peephole, but missed hitting instead the slit opposite the hinges between door and wall.

"Haha, you suck at this too."

"Yeah, but you're a quidditch player, I've _never_ been able to throw."

George looked at her, "Yeah... but I'm a beater, I don't throw things, I hit them."

"You mean you _try_ to hit them?"

George scoffed, "Pitch it to me." And he picked up a spoon meant for fishing out the eyeballs, holding it like baseball player, not like he knew what that was.

Cass walked back to her worktable, and picked up another eye, "You ready?" she pretended to swing, but didn't let go.

George barely flinched. "Stop cheating, and throw it!"

"I'm not cheating," said Cass, and then threw it, hoping to catch him by surprise. Her trick didn't work, and the eyeball bounced off the spoon, and zooming across the room until it bounced off the edge of the peephole.

"Haha, I win."

"I haven't even tried yet" Cass crossed her arms.

"Fine," George picked up another eyeball and pitched it to her, she missed it with her spoon.

"Yeah, I think I win."

"You were closer to the door."

"You didn't even hit it!"

"Just swap with me, and if you can make it from here, you win."

"Deal."

George would be happy to know that it probably would have hit the peephole. It would if the door hadn't at that moment opened, and the eyeball hadn't hit Professor McGonnigal smack between the eyes.

Cass put her hand on her mouth, squeezing her lips against her teeth.

George gave Professor McGonigal his most innocent of expressions, "Sorry Professor."

And then they stood, in silence, waiting for their punishment, but instead Professor McGonnigal just shook her head.

"You two know that I really hate taking points away from my own house."

"Then don't take points away," said George reasonably.

"Well, it seems that detentions don't seem to work."

"Have house points ever?"

The professor gave him a look which would have sent Cass running, then sighed, and spoke again. "Just pick up this mess, and finish your work. I know better than to punish you, Weasley."

And after their detention, while they made their way back to the common room, Cass had to ask. "How do you always get away with that stuff."

"It's cause I'm so pretty, teachers can't bear to say no to this face."

"I'm sure," Cass laughed.

"But that doesn't mean you're off hot chocolate duty."

"Was I ever?"

* * *

><p>It's not a space-filler, I swear, it crucial to the plot. well...somewhat. anyways, I hope you liked it, things will start heating up soon, so keep reading.<p> 


	12. Chapter 12

Cass was trying to finish a detailed description of 5 uses of dragon bone in sleeping-agents, (all the while wishing she were able to take a sleeping agent) but couldn't find it in her. So instead she walked well into the night, trying to gather her thoughts long enough to sit down and work. Pacing wasn't a nervous habit, it was a bored one. She walked when she had nothing better to do, and when she was thinking. It was because of this unfortunate habit that she when the clock struck twelve, and the twins came running into the common room panting, she was still awake.

"Ha!" the first one through the portrait hole panted triumphantly.

The other collapsed into the couch.

"Well, I'm going to bed, 'night Cass, and good luck with my homework, George."

"I still think I beat you."

"Sure," said Fred sarcastically, and ran up to the dormitories laughing hysterically.

"It amazes me how you two get away with this," Cass told a disgruntled George.

"With what?"

"Turning in the same homework, staying out until midnight, all of it."

"Well, you see, Cass, it would be a huge downer for our fellow classmates to see us studying."

"Then why do you do it at all?"

"Despite the common belief, neither of us enjoy detention, and we have important things to do during the day."

"Still, when do you sleep?"

"What do you do in class?" Cass had to laugh.

"I'm still mad at you."

"For having fun?"

"Yes."

George shrugged, and pulled out his divination book.

"Doesn't Professor Trelawney notice how you two have the same dreams all the time?"

"Oh, yes, she thinks the subconscious connection between twins is _simply magnificent_."

Cass sat down next to George and took out her quill, dipping it in ink, and then holding it just above her paper, waiting for inspiration to strike. The truth was that she had written all she thought necessary, and still needed another 3 centimetres

Thankfully George was in the common room; George had always taken it upon himself to keep Cass from working.

It was strange how much time they had been spending together lately. During Care of Magical Creatures, they had covered Cass and Stacey's skrewt with pink bows borrowed from Alicia. George and Cass had wrestled it to the ground while Stacey had slipped ribbons around its stinger. Hagrid had been so pleased with them for making a connection to their skrewt that he gave them 50 house points each, not knowing that they had only done it to prove to Lee that he was just a pussy for refusing to get near his, and that no, they weren't pussys like him. The more curious thing was how much time they had been spending _alone _together. Well, not exactly alone, but it certainly felt like it sometimes; the day after their detention they had spent their entire history of magic class imagining what two people in their class would look like combined, with Cass drawing their pictures. Of course they took the worst features from each to draw. One particularly gruesome one consisted of Mad-Eye Moody with Snape's nose and hair. They had joked that he would have to have Professor Lockharts personality to add to the effect.

"You know what I need right now?" asked George, a devilish grin on his face.

"What?"

"A nice big cup of hot chocolate."

"Can I finish this first?" Cass flipped the page of her Potions book.

"No."

"Fine, _we'll_ go, I'm not going alone," Cass knew that he meant for her to act out her side of the bet and go and get it for him, but also knew that he wouldn't decline an offer to sneak around at night.

George smiled and bounced from his seat, pulling her off the couch and leading her to the door. "Ladies first."

"Why did I ever make that bet?"

"Because you love spending your nights wandering through the halls with me." It was a statement which Cass could not argue against as they wandered slowly down the corridor. And just like that Cass changed schedule, sleep during class, and homework at night, and hot chocolate at 12. And from then until the night of the party, there was a reason for George to sit next to her all the time.

* * *

><p>Stacey frowned to herself as Fred grinned at Angelina. She knew about the bet, and she also knew that Fred was smiling because he thought he was going to win the bet. He thought his dipshit brother would never tell Cass. Especially with the things she was doing, she was starting to believe that George would never gather the courage. Sure, they were spending a lot more time together, but it just gave Cass more opportunities to crush his hopes. Stacey's favourite example of it happened two days before the party, in the common room, when her, George, Cass and Fred had been hanging out on the couches.<p>

Cass lay across the couch, her head on Fred's lap, facing the backrest with her cloak wrapped around her like a blanket. Her face wasn't actually that close to Fred's crotch, her head was pretty much resting on his knees, though she imagined it must look pretty close from where his brother sat across from them, glaring at Fred evilly. She could tell that Fred felt guilty by the look on his face.

"Hey Cass," he had said to her. "Get up, I gotta go to the toilet."

"But then who's gunna be my pillow?" her voice was barely a mumble.

"George, he's the same amount of squishy and everything." She'd turned, which was quite a show seeing as she was wrapped in a blanket with her arms pinned to her body, then she'd looked at George for a few seconds, and then said.

"I think I'll just go to bed."

Stacey wanted to laugh as Cass walked off to bed. She was sure that George's thoughts revolved around what she had told him before about her not knowing the difference between him and his brother.

Fred walked off to the boys dormitories, and disappeared up the stairs.

"That's it," said George decidedly.

"You're going to move on to Stacey?" asked Lee.

"No-" Stacey didn't have to finish, George took over for her.

"God no, I don't know why Fred is so obsessed with me ending up with Stacey." He paused for almost a second. "I've decided that I'm going to tell her I fancy her, at the party, and that'll be the end of it."

* * *

><p>Two in a day! Yay! I thought it was stupid that I have up to chapter 18 written, but only 12 posted. So here it is. You guys excited for the party? It was one of the most fun parts to write so far.<p> 


	13. Chapter 13

Stacey watched her friend with more than a hint of amusement as she danced, (well, "danced" was a bit too kind of a term) with George. She was disappointed that Cass had yet to move on to the firewhiskey, keeping her pelvic movements to a minimum. Still, she had no idea how George could find Cass' current dancing sexy. She looked to the ginger behind Cass, and realized that he wasn't doing much better, but he had the excuse that his dancing was off due to the fact that his eyes would not move more than an inch from Cass' bouncing body. Stacey wondered how her friend could be so daft. One would have to be worse than Obalt the Oblivious, (that goblin who had sat, staring at the cheap steel nail he had recently forged while a pack of wizards had stolen all his valuables, starting one of the first goblin wars) to not realize that the way George was looking at her was more than a look of friendship.

Stacey laughed with a drunken grin on her face for a few more minutes before she decided that it was time to cut in. She grabbed George by the arm, "let me dance with Cass" and she handed Cass a cup of firewhiskey. Cass drank the first few centimetres, and then pointed her wand at it so it wouldn't spill, and stuck it in her pocket. She then grabbed Stacey's hands, and spun her around, pressing her body against Stacey back, and started moving her hips. That was one thing that Cass could do well; dirty dance. Though she was a lot better at playing the guy. Stacey remembered third year, how she had been the one who taught Cass to dance, only she had spent so much time giving examples, that Cass got more practice from behind. Stacey spread out her arms, and pushed herself back into Cass' body, as Cass pushed herself forward into her.

It was all going according to plan. Stacey knew George's plan, it wasn't like he would do anything about his standing with Cass without consulting Stacey first. She hadn't told George of her plan, but figured it would have to help him somehow. If Stacey knew anything, it was how Cass acted when she was drunk. For starters, she admitted _every_ thought and she also started feeling lonely for someone to snog.

"Lee looks lonely," Cass shouted in her ear, as they grinded. Stacey looked over to where Lee sat drinking and talking to one of the Hufflepuff chasers, not looking particularly excited about the conversation. "Let's get him to join."

She and Cass were already getting a group of spectators because they were the only people dancing. The plan wasn't going quite as well as she'd hoped. Somehow, Stacey had to focus Cass' loneliness on George instead of Lee. Stacey didn't know what she would do if her best friend started dating Lee, tell everyone that she didn't know her, most likely.

"What about George?"

"He doesn't look so lonely," Stacey swore inwardly. George was currently attempting to flip an empty cup along with a line of teammates, not looking lonely at all. She was trying to do him a **favour **goddammit.

"I'll go dance with Lee, see if you can talk those guys into a game of beer-pong," Stacey also knew how much her friend enjoyed the muggle game.

"Alright," and Cass slipped off to the table with the drinking games.

"Hey," she hoisted herself up atop the table next to Lee.

"Hows your plan working out?"

"What plan?" asked Stacey innocently.

"The one to get Cass drunk."

"Good."

"And the one to get her not to reject George."

"Worse."

Lee laughed. "Those two bug the shit out of me."

"Me too."

* * *

><p>"Whoo!" Cass cheered as his ping pong ball fell into the cup across from them. He and Cass were currently playing against Alicia and Angelina. A bad mistake, but Stacey had insisted. George had made a few cups, Cass none, but so far, Alicia and Angelina had made every cup presented, now they only had two left to Alicia and Angelina's seven. Stacey had insisted that these be the teams, so now he was playing a game of beer pong against Hogwarts' two best chasers. He was doing alright, but Cass was a notorious lightweight, and he could tell that she was under by the fact that she kept proclaiming that she wasn't drunk, as loud as she could, to anyone who'd listen.<p>

Everyone seemed to be off their own conversations, but the biggest groups were the line of spectators watching their beer pong match, and booing Cass and George every time they missed,and the group in front of the table with the boos, mixing different things together and shouting at eachother to drink it and name it.

By the time the match was over, Cass was literally falling over. She sat on a large table, but held onto George's knee for support.

"Come on," George pulled her from the table, "You need some air."

"The top," said Cass.

"Alright, and he pulled her up the stairs, then Cass lead him through a trapdoor to the roof of the tower. It wasn't nearly as high as the astronomy tower, but it was high and windy nonetheless.

He pulled Cass along with him, and sat her against the rail next to him. She leaned forward and held his knee again, but this time George was thankful for the warmth. He should tell her, like he had planned, but he should wait for the firewhiskey to wear off a little first.

They talked for what felt like forever. They spoke about the Tournament, and who they thought would be chosen as the champion, and what the other schools would be like. They talked about the sky, and how much Cass loved this roof, and the room with the couch below it. Cass talked about her plans for the ceiling of the art tower. She kept asking him if Jason might think it was good enough, to which he could try to change the subject. And finally she said what he had been waiting for.

"Okay, I'm not so out of it anymore, wanna go back and join the party?"

"Yeah, but Cass," now or never, "There was something I wanted to tell you."

"You're not pregnant are you?" Cass laughed.

"What?"

"You look all serious, it's weird."

"I'm not, I just-" He felt like an idiot. Here he was attempting to tell a girl who was in love with some stupid art geek that he fancied her, and she couldn't take him seriously. He waited for Cass to say something, but realized that he was simply making it awkward.

"Cass,"

"Yeah?"

"I wanted to tell you, well...I've been wanting to for a long time."

This was normally the point at which she would start to catch on to what he was trying to say, but he saw no recognition on Cass' face.

"That I really fancy you."

Cass didn't say anything. He should probably say more. Ask her to go out with him, no, that would be confusing, what did _going out_ in Hogwarts even mean? He should ask her to be his girlfriend. Cass wouldn't stop looking at him. Had it been a second or an hour? Merlin, it was cold up here. He wished he had a jacket, no he wished he hadn't drank so much, then maybe he wouldn't have to pee so bad. George didn't want to stay still but he knew that the slightest flinch would bring the world back into motion, and he would have to hear what Cass would say. Had it been a minute or a year? He kept a smile on his face, even if she did reject him, he wasn't about to wallow up in misery with her watching.

"Wait, what?"

"I really fancy you, and, er, I was wondering if, er, you would go out with me." He was supposed to ask her to be his girlfriend, not go out with him, goddammit! And what was with all that bloody stuttering?

"George," Cass said it slowly, tasting the word before releasing it.

The last remnants of the alcohol induced warmth suddenly fled his body. He suddenly didn't want to hear the rest. He knew what would come anyways, and he didn't want to have to look at Cass as she said it. "It's okay, I get it."

"It's not, you know, it's not you. It's just that you and me, it's a kinda weird thought, you know?"

"Yeah, okay," George said stupidly, wanting more than anything for this to be over, his smile became fainter, but he refused to let it go completely.

"So, um, back to the party?"

"Sure." Cass started back to the centre where the entrance to the tower lay. "And Cass."

"Yeah?"

He wanted to tell her to forget it, that he was already over her, that nothing would change, but any of that would be a feeble lie, so he wanted to tell her that it had been over a year, that he would run his hands through Snape's hair if it mean he could be with her, but that didn't seem right either, so he held the smile he'd been faking for the last few minutes and backed down. "Never mind."

"Alright." And she lowered herself slowly down the trapdoor until all he could see was a bob of bright pink.

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><p>REJECTED! sorry, I had to say it. Do you guys hate Cass? If you don't yet, you will later. Oh, and thanks again for all the wonderful reviews.<p> 


	14. Chapter 14

Cass walked down the stairs not sure of what to do. Should she talk to George? What should she say? Merlin, that was possibly the most awkward moment of her life. She didn't know if she should be glad or not that the second they reached the first floor landing George walked off to his brother at the drinks table. This was not supposed to happen. _Her and George_ was not supposed to happen.

She strode across the room to Stacey, and grabbed her by the elbow "let's go," she spoke into Stacey's ear.

"Give me a minute," and Stacey walked over to Jason, who nodded at what she said, then she rejoined Cass and started towards the door.

"Where are you two going?" asked Alicia as they reached the door.

"We're going back," Stacey responded even though the question had been directed at Cass.

"We'll come with you guys," Alicia was referring to herself and Angelina. And before Cass could surface from her thoughts, they were in their dormitories.

"What's up with you Cass?" asked Angelina, who was turning their radio louder, and shaking her hips to the beat. "You didn't drink _that_ much."

Cass, who was lying in her bed, atop her blankets, didn't know how to phrase her answer. She wanted to tell them what had happened really badly, but knew that whatever she said would result in more questions.

"George fancies me," she hardly believed it. Why her, of all people?

Her friends looked just as shocked as she was, all except for Stacey, who hardly ever looked surprised at anything, possibly because she knew everything. "What?" asked Alicia.

"You mean he _told_ you!" Angelina looked as though she was going to explode. Why was she so exited? And why did it matter if he told her, the important part was the fact that he fancied her.

Yet even Cass wasn't as daft as she seemed, "Wait, you knew?"

"Oh sweetie," said Alicia, "Everyone knew, what did you _think _was going on?"

"What's been going on? How did I not know if everyone else did? Wait... how long has this been going on?"

"That's not important, what's important is if he told you or if you figured it out."

"He asked her," said Stacey.

"How do you know?" Cass shouted. How did _Stacey_ know that?

"He told me he was going to, I would have told you guys, but I had my doubts."

Angelina pumped her fist "Suck it, Fred!" she shouted at no one in particular, "see you, guys, I gotta go collect."

"Wait," said Alicia in her small yet assertive voice. Angelina was out the door, leaving the dormitory quiet. "You said 'George fancies me', not 'George and I are together now.'"

"That's 'cause we're not together," said Cass.

"You said no?" asked Stacey, sounding not surprised but disappointed.

"Well, yeah, _me and George_? That's just weird."

Stacey and Alicia shared a look. "Come on, you had to have thought of it, at least once," said Alicia.

"I probably have, but it's like thinking that with Snape, you try _not_ to think about it."

"Snape!" Alicia shouted indignantly.

"Well, maybe not quite that bad," Cass corrected herself hurriedly, "but still, Viv had a teddy bear named George once."

"So you won't go out with him because he has the same name as your sister's teddy bear?"

"Well, snogging Viv's teddy is just wrong, on so many levels, and so is snogging George."

"Why?" Alicia was getting mad now; Cass could see it in her cheeks.

"I've just never thought of him like that, you know?"

"So you won't even give him a chance?"

"Well, it's also a little because I still fancy Jason."

Alicia's cheeks turned redder. "Stacey, talk some sense into her."

Stacey looked lost. "Cass, I know you don't mean to compare him to Snape, but try to be nicer, he's fancied you for a really long time."

"Yeah?" Cass was getting angry as well now, "what else do I not know?"

"Nothing, but you can't be _that _surprised, can you? I mean, there were some pretty obvious signs. He was trying to impress you _all the time._"

"Like when?" now they were calling her stupid. _What signs?_

"Well, that origami dragon, that was for you, and that incident on the quidditch pitch-"

Cass couldn't believe this. "That thing that happened on the quidditch pitch was over a year ago. And those are just times that one of us ended up hurt."

Stacey and Alicia shared a look.

"Cass" said Alicia gently, and Cass could only imagine what she looked like with her burning cheeks, she felt like she was going to cry, "I know you fancy Jason, and that's fine, but it's really not that strange."

"I mean," said Stacey, taking over, "you're a girl, and he's a guy, and you two used to be _really_ close, remember?"

"But that was ages ago."

Stacey looked to Alicia again, why did they keep doing that? It was like she was some child that they were trying to explain something to without telling too much truth. "When you stopped being friends was around when it started."

Cass thought back. "But still, going out with him would just be weird, I mean, it's George."

"You keep saying that, but it's not that weird. It's not like either of you have never snogged anyone before. Or each other, for that matter," It was Alicia who was arguing again.

"That was a dare."

"Does it matter what it was?"

"Yes."

"Cass, I don't care that you rejected him, if you don't fancy him, and don't think you ever will, then that's fine," Stacey's used that voice which people used before they said 'but'. "But," there it was, "it's really not that weird, there are plenty of girls who are really into him; he's not bad looking, he's nice, he's funny, I know you're really into Jason, but don't pretend that this is because of George."

The thing was that it was because of George. For Cass it _was _hard to think of anyone else who wasn't as perfect as Jason, yet still. Maybe she could get used to the idea, and if he was still into her, then they might have a chance.

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><p>Hi, thanks again for all the reviews, they're really nice. Okay, so I'm thinking of writing a Game of Thrones fanfiction. Yes? No? I was just really upset because there was only one straight Robb Stark one, and there weren't any Tyrion stories, which makes me really sad because he's my favourite character. So should I do it?<p> 


	15. Chapter 15

Angelina ran into the party and strait to where Lee, Fred and George were sitting. She was grinning wildly.

"Hand it over, Fred," she held out her hand.

"Hand what over?" What was she talking about?

"I won the bet, George asked Cass out," she turned to George, "Nice by the way. Anyways, that's two galleons for me."

"You two _bet_ on us?"

Now Fred understood. but how could this have happened, surely his brother would have told him if he was going to confess to Cass. He guessed not, though. Fred would have said, yeah, patted his brother on the back, or maybe even on the head, but one look at his brothers face silenced him.

"She said no, didn't she?" Angelina's eyes widened, as if this hadn't occurred to her.

"Yeah."

Angelina dropped her hand, and grabbed George's elbow, and Lee walked up to take the other "come on, let's go get a drink."

Fred followed, still wondering when this had happened, and why he had been the last to know.

* * *

><p>Fred and Angelina walked behind George through the portrait hole. "Do I look this pathetic when I'm miserable?"<p>

"You look this pathetic all the time," replied Angelina, waving to Stacey and Alicia who were seated on the Common Room couch.

"Gee, thanks."

"You know, guys, I'm right here," George said from a couple paces in front of them. George found a seat on the couch next to Stacey. Fred sat next to his brother, while Angelina sat next to Alicia on the love seat.

"So what's going on tomorrow?"

Alicia's attempt at a happier subject was overrun by Fred's question. "So what exactly happened anyways?"

"I asked her to go out with me and she said no."

"Yeah, but what reason did she give you?" Fred pushed further.

"She said that me and her is just weird."

"Yeah, cause we all believe that," muttered Stacey.

"What do you mean?" asked George.

"She says it's cause she's never thought of you that way, and its bullshit, I mean, how can she say that after that thing with Lee!"

"What thing with Lee?" asked George, looking at Lee accusingly.

"What thing with me?" asked Lee.

"Shit, I wasn't supposed to mention that to anyone."

"Tell us," it was Alicia who spoke.

"Well..." Stacey figured it was better to explain than to let them assume the worst. "Remember last year, how Cass got those really bad blisters all over her body from that one potions class? Well... the potion that Madame Pomfrey gave her to get rid of them gave her these really vivid dreams, and she had this really naughty one about Lee... like, I don't even want to tell you its so bad, naughty."

Lee raised his eyebrows. "What!" shouted Angelina.

"Don't mention it to her, I wasn't supposed to mention it to anyone, my point is that her reason is bullshit. Don't worry about it, George, it's not because she doesn't think about you like that, it's because of Jason." Stacey shouldn't have told that story; she had told Cass that she wouldn't, but still, she couldn't let George go off thinking that Cass had rejected him because she couldn't think of him as a guy.

"That prick?"

"Yeah."

"I honestly don't know what she sees in him," said Alicia.

"Well, he is rather good looking, and he's a really good artist," defended Stacey.

"I'm just remembering that woodgrub incident."

"Yeah, _what_ was that about?" asked Angelina.

"I don't know," said Stacey.

"What are you guys talking about?" asked Fred.

"He has this fear of wood grubs, we saw one once last year, he _freaked out_. I don't think I've ever seen anyone move that fast, you should have seen him running away."

"And this is the prick that Cass rejected me for?" asked George

"Well, what did you think she would say? you knew she fancied him."

"I don't know, I was just sick of keeping it from her."

"Well." Said Fred, "Now you can get over it, and move on to Stacey."'

Stacey wanted to shout 'for the last time _no_' but she didn't want George to have to be rejected twice.

"I was thinking more like Trisha McMillen," George said.

Fred grinned, "Yes!"

"Good choice, have you _seen_ how big her tits are? D-cup _at least_" Lee always had the most appropriate answers.

Who knew, maybe Stacey was wrong, maybe she'd underestimated George.

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><p>Don't worry, our favourite Cass isn't out of the picture yet. So no Game of Thrones story? I guess not.<p> 


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